8-526

8-526. Child welfare; reporting
requirements

A. The department shall compile the following information on a semiannual basis
ending March 31 and September 30 of each year:

1. The total number of reports received, by major category and by priority. The
report shall include a description of some of those incoming communications determined
not to meet the criteria of a report as chosen by a random sample.

2. The number of reports not responded to, by priority, by county and
statewide. The report shall include a description of some of these cases as chosen by
random sample.

3. The number of reports assigned for investigation by priority and by major
category, by county and statewide for the current and previous reporting periods.

4. The number of investigations completed by priority and by major category, by
county and statewide for the current and previous reporting periods and as categorized by
investigations that resulted in:

(a) A substantiated report.

(b) A report currently proposed for substantiation.

5. The number of reports assigned for investigation that remain open for
investigation by priority and by major category, by county and statewide for the current
and previous reporting periods.

6. Of the number of reports assigned for investigation, the percentage of reports
that resulted in a child being placed in out-of-home care by county and statewide.

7. The number of newborn infants delivered to safe haven providers pursuant to
section 13-3623.01.

8. The number of children entering out-of-home care by county during the reporting
period, and the number and percentage of the children entering out-of-home care by county
during the reporting period who are voluntary placements for children under eighteen
years of age.

9. The number and percentage of children removed during the reporting period, by
county and statewide, who had been in out-of-home care:

(a) Within the previous twelve months.

(b) Within the previous twenty-four months, excluding the children included in
subdivision (a) of this paragraph.

10. The number and percentage of children who have remained in a shelter or
receiving home for more than twenty-one consecutive days, by the child's age group.

11. The number and type of licensed foster homes and the number of licensed and
available spaces in those homes.

12. The number and type of licensed foster homes that leave the foster care system
and the reason for the exit.

13. The number of licensed foster homes that receive the required visitation by case
managers pursuant to section 8-516.

14. The number of children placed in the care, custody and control of the department
at the end of the reporting period and the number of these children who receive the
required visitation by case managers pursuant to section 8-516.

15. The number and percentage of children who are in the care, custody and control
of the department at the end of the reporting period and who are in out-of-home placement
and as categorized by:

(a) Age.

(b) Ethnicity.

(d) Type of out-of-home placement, categorized by age.

(e) Length of time in out-of-home placement of less than thirty days, thirty-one
days to twelve consecutive months, twelve to twenty-four consecutive months and more than
twenty-four consecutive months, including the median, average and range of the number of
out-of-home placements.

(f) Primary legal status including voluntary placement for a child under eighteen
years of age, temporary custody, adjudicated dependent, free for adoption, voluntary
placement for a child over eighteen years of age, dually adjudicated or any other legal
status.

16. If the case plan is to return the child to the parent, the percentage of parents
who receive the required contact by case managers.

17. The number and percentage of children who left the custody of the department
during the reporting period by reason for leaving care and as categorized by:

(a) Age.

(b) Ethnicity.

(d) Average length of time in care.

18. The number of children with a petition for termination of parental rights
granted and not granted during the reporting period by county and statewide.

19. The number and percentage of children with a case plan goal of adoption and who
are not placed in an adoptive home at the end of the reporting period and as categorized
by:

(a) Age.

(b) Ethnicity.

(d) Legal status.

20. The number and percentage of children with a case plan goal of adoption and who
are placed in an adoptive home at the end of the reporting period and as categorized by:

(a) Age.

(b) Ethnicity.

(d) Length of time from change of case plan goal to adoptive placement.

(e) Legal status.

21. The number of children whose adoptions were finalized during the reporting
period and as categorized by:

(a) Average length of time in out-of-home placement before adoptive placement.

(b) Average length of time in adoptive placement before the final order of
adoption.

22. The number of children who died while in the custody of the department by the
county where the death occurred and as categorized by:

(a) The cause of death.

(b) The type of out-of-home placement at the time of death.

23. The number of children with an open or active child protective services case who
died due to abuse, categorized by the person or persons who had care or custody of the
child at the time of the child's death as follows:

(a) Biological parent or parents.

(b) Other family member.

(d) Foster care parent or parents.

(e) Other out-of-home care provider.

24. The number of children with an open or active child protective services case who
died due to abuse allegedly caused by an adult household member who is not listed
pursuant to paragraph 23 of this subsection.

B. Based on the data presented in each reporting period, the department, in as
brief a format as possible, shall describe three to five major challenges the department
faces in achieving the goal of safe, permanent homes for abused and neglected children.

C. Within three months after the end of each reporting period the department shall
submit a written report in as brief a format as possible to the governor, the president
of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chairperson of the house
human services committee, the chairperson of the senate family services committee, or
their successor committees, and the cochairpersons of the joint legislative committee on
children and family services. The department shall submit a copy of the report to the
secretary of state and the director of the Arizona state library, archives and public
records.